This Day in Top 40 History: January 27
On Jan. 27, 1991, 27-year-old Whitney Houston took center stage at the Super Bowl in Florida’s Tampa Stadium, where she delivered a breathtaking rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” When Arista…
On Jan. 27, 1991, 27-year-old Whitney Houston took center stage at the Super Bowl in Florida's Tampa Stadium, where she delivered a breathtaking rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." When Arista Records dropped the recording of her performance as a single, it unsurprisingly landed at No. 20 on Billboard's Hot 100.
This date has hosted other noteworthy Top 40 history events, including album releases and life-changing accidents. Scroll on to learn more.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These Top 40 singles and albums hit the record stores on Jan. 27:
- 1956: Elvis Presley dropped “Heartbreak Hotel,” which was reportedly inspired by a suicide note. Recorded a couple of days after the King of Rock ‘n' Roll's birthday, the song would become his first No. 1 hit after topping the Billboard Hot 100. It also cracked the Top 10 on the Country and Western chart.
- 1986: Public Image Ltd launched their LP, Album. It reached No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart and spawned one Top 20 hit in the U.K., “Rise.” Note that the band had released the song a few days earlier as the set's lead single.
- 2009: Bruce Springsteen's Working on a Dream came out. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1, becoming his ninth U.S. chart-topper, and reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. In addition, it sold over 220,000 copies in its opening week.
Cultural Milestones
Here are a few memorable cultural milestones from Jan. 27.
- 1971: David Bowie set foot on U.S. soil for the first time to promote his album, The Man Who Sold The World, which peaked at No. 24 in the U.K. The “Let's Dance” singer didn't have a work permit at the time, so he couldn't play any concerts. Instead, he attended multiple interviews wearing a dress, which sparked controversy in some regions.
- 1997: Toni Braxton's Secret, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, bagged the Favorite Soul/R&B Album award at the 24th annual American Music Awards, which were held at the Shrine Auditorium in California. Other notable names on the list of winners included Jewel, Eric Clapton, Keith Sweat, and Shania Twain.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has experienced various changes and challenges on Jan. 27, such as:
- 1967: The Beatles renewed their recording contract with EMI Records, this time for a nine-year term. However, the “Can't Buy Me Love” makers would go their separate ways before its expiration in 1976.
- 1984: At Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, Michael Jackson was severely burned while shooting a Pepsi ad. The “Beat It” hitmaker, who was 25 at the time, suffered burns to his scalp, and unfortunately, some of his hair never grew back.
- 2013: Chris Brown and Frank Ocean were involved in a physical altercation in West Hollywood, California. According to sources, the singer instigated the fight by punching Ocean in the face. There were rumors that the latter would take legal action against Brown. However, the California native refuted the claims via social media, saying that he preferred “sanity” to revenge.
These events from Jan. 27, which include Michael Jackson's tragic Pepsi commercial shoot, undoubtedly make this date important in Top 40 history.
